Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2009,  Official Report, column 501W, on departmental training, which Ministers attended the  (a) presentation and public speaking skills course and  (b) introduction workshop for new Ministers; and how much those courses cost.

Ann McKechin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1287W.

Highways Agency: Members

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to direct the Highways Agency to accept requests from hon. Members to accompany them to site meetings in relation to work authorised by the Highways Agency; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  for what reasons the Highways Agency decided that no member of staff would accompany the hon. Member for Walsall North to a site meeting in his constituency on 20 March in relation to work being undertaken under the authorisation of the Highways Agency;
	(3)  what mechanisms are used by the Highways Agency for public consultation on work it plans to undertake which is likely to affect households near the site of such work;
	(4)  if he will make it his policy to direct the Highways Agency to notify each household in an area in which work authorised by the Highways Agency is to be carried out; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: holding answer 20 March 2009
	The Highways Agency already accepts reasonable requests to meet hon. Members either on site or separately on any schemes for which it is responsible.
	Representatives from the Highways Agency accompanied the hon. Member for Walsall, North to a site meeting on 20 March to discuss the details of the Active Traffic Management scheme currently being undertaken on the M6 in his constituency.
	Where appropriate, the Highways Agency consults those likely to be affected by schemes being undertaken, and this was the case with the scheme on the M6. The Highways Agency has followed all environmental assessment and statutory procedures, including issuing public notices. It has listened to concerns raised, and has taken residents' concerns about current noise levels into consideration. An exhibition is planned where further issues can be raised. The scheme design has also been reviewed in the light of comments received.
	Schemes carried out by the Highways Agency on or near highway land vary in complexity and scale. For schemes planned outside of the highway boundary, such as bypass work, the Highways Agency makes every effort to contact individual households and businesses likely to be affected.
	Work carried out within the highway boundary tends to be of a relatively smaller scale, or is carried out as part of a routine maintenance programme. Although there is no statutory requirement for local residents to be contacted ahead of schemes taking place within the highway boundary, and it would be impractical and costly for the Highway's Agency to undertake to contact individual households for each one of these schemes, the Highways Agency seeks to ensure that public involvement takes place in a proportionate manner.

Intercity Express Programme

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the evidential basis is for his statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-3W, on new trains (investment) that the award of the contract to Agility Trains and Hitachi and granting preferred bidder status to Bombardier in relation to extra carriages on the Stansted Express will safeguard or create 12,500 jobs.

Paul Clark: These figures are based on information given by Agility Trains to the Department of Transport and we believe Agility's analysis to be sound.
	The figure is exclusive of any job benefits arising as a result of the announcement of Bombardier's status as Preferred Bidder for extra carriages on Stansted Express.

Railways

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department have worked on projects relating to high speed rail  (a) between April and 29 September 2008 and  (b) after 29 September 2008.

Paul Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer on 25 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1189W.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-3, how many of the 12,500 jobs he expects will be  (a) existing jobs safeguarded and  (b) new jobs created (i) in the train vehicle manufacturing industry and (ii) for third party suppliers to the industry; and on what assumptions these estimates are based.

Paul Clark: holding answer 6 March 2009
	Agility Trains anticipates that of the estimated 12,500 total jobs to be created or safeguarded, 2,500 will be directly employed by the Agility Trains consortium. Of these, 1,400 (estimate) jobs will be safeguarded in train maintenance, and 1,100 (estimate) jobs will be created in train and factory construction.
	Of the remaining estimated 10,000 jobs Agility Trains anticipate that they are likely to be within train vehicle component suppliers, third party suppliers and the wider economy. Agility Trains advises that it has adopted an industry standard multiplier assumption, used with regard to the automotive industry, that each direct job will create, or secure, circa four jobs within the supply chain and the wider economy.

Transport: Eco-Towns

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the promoters of the Whitehill Bordon eco-town on  (a) transport costs in the initial years of the development,  (b) the (i) viability and (ii) cost of the proposed A325 fast bus link works and  (c) levels of car use in the area.

Paul Clark: To date, the Department for Transport has had no discussion with the promoters of the Whitehill Bordon eco-town on the specific issues to which the question refers. The transport strategy for Whitehill-Bordon is still in its early stages of development. Department for Transport officials continue to be informed of its progress and, should the town be included in the list of preferred sites to be announced later this year, it is anticipated that further discussions will then take place.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military engagements there have been between UK armed forces and Taliban insurgents in the last two months.

John Hutton: The Ministry of Defence is currently collating and validating the data needed to answer this question. I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Air Force: Military Bases

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1520W, on the Air Force: military bases, when he now expects an announcement to be made regarding Programme Belvedere;
	(2)  when he expects to receive a recommendation on the preferred option for Programme Belvedere.

Bob Ainsworth: As explained in my written answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 430W, the future of Programme Belvedere is currently under consideration at senior levels within the Department. Once that review has concluded I will write to the hon. Member.

Departmental Recruitment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 30W, on departmental recruitment, what estimate he has made of the annual salary cost of new  (a) permanent,  (b) temporary and  (c) agency staff recruited by his Department in each year since 2005-06.

Kevan Jones: The annual salary costs for permanent and temporary staff employed by the Department in each year since 2005-06 are published in departmental annual reports and accounts. We are unable to identify the costs of newly recruited staff separately. Salary costs of agency staff are met by their employing agencies and not by the Department.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 1 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1994W, on departmental training, which Ministers attended the pre-deployment training in preparation for visits to Iraq and Afghanistan; and how much that training cost.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Under-Secretary of State gave on 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 235W, to the hon. Member for St. Albans (Anne Main).

Burma: United Nations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has had contact with the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General on Myanmar since 1 January 2009.

Bill Rammell: Our mission to the UN in New York is in regular contact with the UN Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari and his office. This dialogue was particularly frequent before and after Professor Gambari's visit to Burma from 31 January 2009 to 3 February 2009 and after his briefing to the UN Security Council on 20 February 2009.
	We continue to give our full support to the UN Secretary General's Good Offices mission.

Departmental Internet

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 369-73W, on the departmental internet, how many hits each of the websites maintained by his Department received in each of the last 12 months.

Caroline Flint: I will write to the hon. Member separately, as the answer is lengthy.

Departmental Public Expenditure

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 1523-6W, on departmental public expenditure, in what areas of expenditure the administration budget overspends in relation to  (a) Afghanistan,  (b) Australia,  (c) Brazil,  (d) Spain and  (e) the United States were incurred in 2007-08.

David Miliband: The main areas of overspend in administration budgets were:
	 (a) Afghanistan
	Subsistence and allowances
	Other purchased goods and services
	Telecommunications costs
	Freight and courier costs
	Other costs, including embassy catering services
	Other external/contract services
	 (b) Australia
	Subsistence and allowances
	Training costs
	IT costs
	Agency and casual staff
	Other external/contract services
	Maintenance and running costs
	Locally engaged staff salaries
	 (c) Brazil
	Freight and courier costs
	Vehicle costs
	Other purchased goods and services
	Medical costs
	Subsistence and allowances
	Locally engaged staff salaries
	Agency and casual staff
	Maintenance and running costs
	 (d) Spain
	Other purchased goods and services
	Other costs
	Training costs
	Locally engaged staff salaries
	Subsistence and allowances
	Telecommunications costs
	Other external/contract services
	Agency and casual staff
	 (e) US
	Consultancy and professional fees
	Freight and courier costs
	Hire of plant and machinery
	IT Costs
	Financial charges
	Stationery
	Agency and casual Staff
	Subsistence and allowances
	Maintenance and running costs
	Telecommunications costs
	Other purchased goods and services.

Departmental Public Expenditure

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1240W, on departmental public expenditure, what the cost to his Department of each UK contribution to peacekeeping operations overseas  (a) was in 2007-08 and  (b) has been in 2008-09.

David Miliband: Peacekeeping costs—both assessed costs to international missions and UK discretionary support to international and bilateral missions—have been met through the Peacekeeping Budget which is an annual claim on the Treasury Reserve and has been managed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on behalf of the FCO, Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). In 2007-08 and 2008-09, £374 million was allocated from the Treasury Reserve for Peacekeeping.
	Pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1240W, as a claim on the Treasury Reserve, the Peacekeeping Budget did not benefit from the Overseas Prices Mechanism. However, from the Peacekeeping Budget, assessed contributions to peacekeeping missions paid in foreign currencies by the FCO in 2007-08 were:
	
		
			   £ 
			 UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) 366,011 
			 UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) 5,771,218 
			 UN_Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) 15,184,311 
			 UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) 39,728,447 
			 UN_Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) 3,135,316 
			 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) 25,403,196 
			 UN African Union—United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) 37,228,728 
			 UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) 28,920,533 
			 UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) 960,793 
			 UN Integrated Mission in East Timor(UNMIT) 4,727,871 
			 UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) 1,140,559 
			 UN Disengagement Observer Force Zone (UNDOF) 1,393,431 
			 UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) 19,062,884 
			 UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) 7,816,007 
			 UN Interim Force in Lebanon(UNIFIL) 25,003,407 
			 UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) 1,557,670 
			 UN International Criminal Court 6,429,102 
			 UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda 4,813,809 
			 UN International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia 6,252,619 
			 Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe field missions 8,377,220 
			 Total 243,273,132 
		
	
	At current exchange rates, estimated assessed contributions to peacekeeping missions paid in foreign currencies in 2008-09 are:
	
		
			   £ 
			 UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) 18,297,738 
			 UN_Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) 19,968,022 
			 UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) 49,272,772 
			 UN_Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) 1,334,652 
			 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) 25,323,581 
			 UN African Union—United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) 64,197,346 
			 UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) 30,070,770 
			 UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus 1,392,357 
			 UN Integrated Mission in East Timor(UNMIT) 6,008,093 
			 UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) 1,462,365 
			 UN Disengagement Observer Force Zone (UNDOF) 1,834,559 
			 UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) 24,201,172 
			 UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) 7,480,504 
			 UN Interim Force in Lebanon(UNIFIL) 28,307,578 
			 UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) 1,764,832 
			 UN International Criminal Court 5,463,876 
			 UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda 5,403,725 
			 UN International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia 7,145,468 
			 UN/AU UN Logistical Support to African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) 1,960,880 
			 Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe field missions 9,633,681 
			 Total 310,523,971 
		
	
	The 2008-09 costs will be reduced by a transfer of £29.4 million from the FCO which includes gains from the benefits of the advanced purchase of foreign currency costs, based on estimated costs at the time of spring supplementary. Further assessed costs are attributed to the Peacekeeping Budget by the Treasury or paid in the relevant foreign currency by the MOD.

Hezbollah

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Minister of State's evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on 4 March 2009, with which members of Hezbollah's political wing the Government has made contact.

Bill Rammell: On 9 January 2009 our ambassador in Beirut accompanied a group of British parliamentarians to a meeting with the Lebanese Foreign Affairs Committee that included the Hezbollah MP, Ali Amaar.

Hezbollah

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the Government ceased contact with both the political and military wings of Hezbollah in 2005.

Bill Rammell: The UK had contacts with some political officials in Hezbollah from 2001 to 2005 but no contacts with Hezbollah's military wing. Although previous discussion had been frank, they became increasingly insubstantial. The political contacts ended in 2005 as we judged that the conditions at the time, specifically the political stalemate of the Lebanese Government, meant that the talks were not productive enough to be worth continuing.

India: Terrorism

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens were injured during the events in Mumbai on 27 November 2008; what the  (a) nature and  (b) severity of such injuries was; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 20 March 2009
	Seven British nationals were seriously injured during the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. For consular confidentiality and data protection reasons, the nature and severity of those injuries cannot be disclosed.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) of 5 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1747W, on Iran: nuclear power, what further sanctions he has considered pursuing at the United Nations.

Bill Rammell: The E3+3 made a generous offer to Iran in June 2008. This offer remains on the table. The offer presents Iran with an opportunity to transform its relationship with the international community and enjoy many significant benefits, if it suspends its enrichment programme and negotiates.
	However, in the event of Iran failing to take up this opportunity and continuing to disregard its international obligations to the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency, we will be forced to consider further measures, including the consideration of further significant sanctions through the UN.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1429W, on Middle East: armed conflict, by what methods the risks that arms could be used for internal repression or external aggression are surveyed; and what steps his Department took to gather evidence on the use of arms exports in relation to Gaza.

Bill Rammell: All arms export license applications are considered on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. This includes criteria covering internal repression and external aggression. We assess each application in the light of information received from several sources, including our embassies, non-governmental organisations and international agencies and in accordance with the EU Arms Export Users Guide, which was published in the UK's 2007 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the discussions between the Turkish Prime Minister and the Israeli Prime Minister on peace in the Middle East which took place between 1 November and 27 December 2008.

Bill Rammell: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Turkey on 22 December 2008. The details of that meeting, and any other private conversations which may have taken place, are a matter for the governments concerned.

Morocco: Fisheries

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 124W, on Morocco: fisheries, what representations the Government has made to the Moroccan government to ensure that the indigenous people of Western Sahara receive licensing revenues or aid derived from the EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement as a result of the fishing activity of UK trawlers in the waters of the occupied Western Sahara.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 17 March 2009
	The Government maintain the position that the Government of Morocco—as the de facto administering power of Western Sahara—are obliged under international law to ensure that economic activities under administration, including the extraction and exportation of phosphates, do not adversely affect the interests of the people of Western Sahara.
	Our officials in Rabat discuss a range of issues relating to the Western Sahara with their Moroccan counterparts, including when appropriate the issue of fishing revenues.
	There are currently only two UK vessels operating in the waters off Western Sahara under the EU—Morocco Fisheries Agreement. All the fish caught are landed in Dakhla, Western Sahara and sold through the local markets or processed in a local factory.

Morocco: Mining

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 228W, on Morocco: mining, what steps the Government are taking to seek to ensure that Morocco fulfils its obligations under international law to ensure that the extraction and exportation of phosphates do not adversely affect the interests of people in Western Sahara.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 20 March 2009
	The UK maintains its position that Morocco, as the de facto administering power of Western Sahara, is obliged under international law to ensure that economic activities under administration—including the extraction and exportation of phosphates—do not adversely affect the interests of the people in Western Sahara. The UK has not recently raised this issue with the Moroccan authorities.
	However, the Government firmly support the principles of transparency and good governance with regards to the extractive industries generally. In November 2008, the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) held a roundtable meeting in Tunis, which included Morocco. Participants discussed the opportunities and challenges which implementing the EITI can bring for the north African region and for further enhancing resource management and economic growth.

Terrorism: Finance

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1415W, on terrorism: finance, how much of the £80 million allocated to his Department and the £6 million allocated to the British Council for tackling terrorism and promoting understanding overseas for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11 is new funding.

Bill Rammell: All of the £80 million and £6 million allocated to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and British Council respectively in the 2008-11 comprehensive spending review was new funding.

UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the UK plans to  (a) sign and  (b) ratify the UN Convention on Enforced Disappearances; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Government are currently examining the potential impact of the UN Convention against Enforced Disappearance on the law of the UK. In particular, lawyers are analysing the extent to which common law provisions may need to be replicated in statute law, and the introduction of one or more specific criminal offences.
	If the Government decide to ratify the convention, these changes to the law would require primary legislation, which would be introduced when parliamentary time allowed. Decisions would also need to be taken in due course on whether the UK required any reservations or declarations upon ratification. These are complex issues requiring further consideration and analysis which will take some time to complete.

Members: Pensions

Frank Field: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 16 March 2009,  Official Report, column 966W, on Members: pensions, how much stock owned by the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund and held in pooled funds has been lent in each of the last two years; and what the monetary value of the stock was when it was  (a) lent and  (b) returned.

Chris Bryant: As I stated in the answer of 16 March 2009,  Official Report, column 966W, stock lending is not allowed in the segregated funds of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF). The Trustees have no role in deciding the policy on stock lending in pooled funds used by the PCPF.
	Stock lending by investment managers of pooled funds is intended to enhance the returns to their clients. Within a pooled fund no specific stocks are either owned by, or clearly attributable to, a single investor. Thus, the (PCPF) has a proportionate share in the value of the total stock within one or more equity-based funds.
	At 31 December 2007 and 31 December 2008 the PCPF had pooled assets on loan to the value of some £31 million and £19 million, respectively, representing some 8 per cent. and 6 per cent. of the total value of the Fund on these dates.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1739W, on departmental data protection, what security systems are in place to separate visitor and test wireless networks from his Department's local area network infrastructure; what policies are in place for the protection of local area network infrastructure via  (a) firewalls and  (b) layer three switches; who is responsible for auditing and checking these security measures; how frequently security checks are performed; and what the average time is for remediation of vulnerabilities.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There is no connection between the visitor and test wireless networks and the test wireless network does not carry any work or protectively marked traffic. No wireless network is connected to the main office network.
	All wireless connections are protected by hardware firewalls and are covered as part of the regular annual audit process. Security vulnerabilities are addressed immediately they are notified.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 1739-40W, on departmental data protection, what systems are in place to ensure that his Department's IT security hierarchy is fit for purpose.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Our Security Operating Protocol is reviewed by external auditors on an annual basis.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1739W, on departmental data protection, how frequently  (a) internal and  (b) independent external auditing of compliance takes place; what the criteria of such audits are; what elements are checked; whether his Department undertakes social engineering pen tests; what password policies his Department has in place; and what systems are in place to ensure that staff comply with those policies.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Internal auditing of compliance takes place at least annually. Independent external auditing is carried out on an annual basis. A number of criteria are used including the GSi Code of Connection, the Security Policy Framework, industry best practice and relevant Info Sec Memoranda.
	We do not report on the scope of security testing nor the full list of test criteria for security reasons.
	My Department does carry out social engineering vulnerability testing.
	My Department's password policies conform to central standards.
	A full range of guidance on security policies and best practice is available to staff via my Department's intranet.
	We are currently deploying additional training and compliance testing for all staff.

Departmental Public Consultations

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public consultations his Department has conducted in the last 12 months; how long each consultation was open for; how many responses were received in each case; and what the cost of conducting each consultation was.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Details of all consultations are routinely published on the DCMS website at:
	www.culture.gov.uk
	In the 2008 calendar year DCMS launched 13 consultations. Full details for these consultations are supplied in the table. All consultations launched by the Department in 2009 are still open, and because of this data is continually changing and is not included.
	Most consultations do not incur costs other than staffing time, as duties are usually undertaken by in-house teams, with the DCMS website as the mechanism recording representations. Where additional costs were incurred, details are listed in the following table—these mostly relate to costs incurred in translating material into Welsh.
	
		
			  Consultation  Consultation period  Number of responses received  Cost (£) 
			 World Heritage for the Nation: Identifying, Protecting and Promoting our World Heritage 2 December to 25 February 2009 115 (1)4,750 
			 
			 The Draft Categories of Gaming Machine (Amendment) Regulations 2009 and The Draft Gambling Act 2005 (Limits on Prize Gaming) Regulations 2009 22 December 2008 to 9 January 2009 157 0 
			 
			 Council of Europe Transfrontier Television Convention (TTV): Preliminary Consultation September 2008 1 to 31 October 2008 1 0 
			 
			 The Gambling Act (Variation of Monetary Limits for Gaming Machines) Order 2008 5 September to 31 October 2008 15 0 
			 
			 Core Receiver Requirements for the Digital Switchover Help Scheme Consultation 1 September to 13 October 2008 7 0 
			 
			 Licensing consultation - proposals to introduce a new minor variations process, and remove certain requirements at community premises 4 August to 1 September 2008 (closing date for Welsh stakeholders: 9 September 2008)   
			  Minor Variations responses 83 2,456.93 
			  Community Premises responses 67 (1)3,116.10 
			 
			 Video Games consultation 31 July to 20 November 2008 181 (2)23,578.23 
			 
			 Public consultation on implementing the EU audiovisual media services directive 25 July to 31 October 2008 59 0 
			 
			 Gambling Act 2005 (Variation of Monetary Limits) Order 2008 17 July to 9 October 2008 10 0 
			 
			 Proposed Gambling Act 2005 (gaming machines in bingo premises) Order 2008 26 June to 26 September 2008 26 0 
			 
			 Consultation on Television Multiplex Services (Reservation of Digital Capacity) Order 2008 18 April to 9 May 2008 9 0 
			 
			 Consultation on Community Radio 31 March to 6 June 2008 96 0 
			 
			 Gambling Act 2005 - Proposals for Gambling Commission Fees from 1st August 2008 10 March to 2 June 2008 27 0 
			 (1) This cost was incurred through translation into Welsh (2) These costs were incurred through translation into Welsh and for payment of research with a focus group comprising parents.  Note:  In all cases quoted costs do not include VAT, as this is recoverable.

Research: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 24 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1069W, on departmental research, whether any projects have been commissioned using his Department's Joint Research Budget since the date of that Answer.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 13 March 2009
	 The Department has commissioned three projects:
	(i) University of London's EPPI-centre and Matrix Knowledge Group have been appointed to conduct research on participation in culture and sport. The research will draw together current evidence to address fundamental questions for public policy development in this area: what drives engagement and how do we understand and maximise the value and benefits it brings. It will report in winter 2009-10.
	(ii) Identifying and exploring options for developing a comprehensive national cultural and sporting assets database, building on active places http://www.activeplaces.co.uk/ and related datasets to look at supply across DCMS sectors. The scoping exercise will also explore the definition of a cultural and sporting asset. Contractors BOP Consulting will report in spring 2009.
	(iii) Understanding regional evidence needs. With the advent of Integrated Regional Strategies, and the wind up of the Regional Cultural Consortiums. BMG have been commissioned to identify and appraise options for meeting research and evidence needs shared by the four agencies at regional level, ensuring that common research questions can be addressed consistently within a national framework. The work should propose a number of different models to achieve this. It will report in June 2009.
	We are also working with the Economic and Social Research Council to place culture and sports engagement questions in Understanding Society:
	http://www.understandingsociety.org.uk/
	the new household longitudinal study. This will deliver initial data in 2011.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2009,  Official Report, column 476W, on community relations, how much her Department is paying  (a) the Tavistock Institute and  (b) De Montfort University for the research commissioned from them.

Sadiq Khan: The total value of the contract for the research conducted by the Tavistock Institute is £24,500 plus VAT. The total cost for the De Montfort University research contract is £65,600 plus VAT.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2009,  Official Report, column 476W, on community relations, by what date she expects  (a) the Tavistock Institute and  (b) De Montfort University to report to her Department on the results of their research into the national and international factors contributing to violent extremism.

Sadiq Khan: The research that the Tavistock Institute is carrying out for Communities and Local Government has two phases. The first phase was finished in February, and the second phase, setting out guidelines for carrying out evaluation, is due to be available in April.
	The final report for the Rapid Evidence Assessment research being carried out by De Montfort University is due to be completed in May.

Council Housing: Rents

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 6 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 71-2WS on local authority rents, what the timetable is for  (a) additional subsidy to be granted and  (b) rents to be reduced.

Iain Wright: Communities and Local Government wrote to local authorities on 11 March with further information following my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South's (Margaret Beckett) 6 March announcement of the reduction by half in the national average guideline rent increase for 2009-10.
	The letter sets out a broad timetable for implementation of the changes for those authorities accepting our offer. After a short period of consultation on new guideline rents for each authority, we envisage issuing the final 2009-10 amending Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidy determination with reduced rental income for participating authorities in May. It would then be for those authorities to introduce the changes to their own timetables for reducing their tenants' rents.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date the Design for Manufacture competition was  (a) opened and  (b) closed; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Design for Manufacture Competition was announced by the then Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, on 26 September 2004. The Prior Information Notice was issued on 15 February 2005, and the Contract Notice (which formally opened the competition process) was issued on 29 March 2005. This allowed consortiums to register their interest in participating and to request the necessary initial documents. The last of the 10 site contracts was awarded in July 2006, and that brought the competition stage of the programme to a close. A document called 'Designed for Manufacture—lessons learnt', which explained the competition process and the individual projects in detail, was published in June 2006.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 1107-8W, on housing: low incomes, when she expects a decision to be made on Ministerial approval of funding for the Up2You/First Steps scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The "Up2U/First Steps" scheme announced by the Mayor of London on 3 March was potentially novel and therefore my approval was required before funding from the Homes and Communities Agency could be committed. I immediately asked my officials to work with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to ensure that the scheme offered good value for money and that there were no practical or legal barriers to it proceeding.
	This detailed work showed that there was scope to reduce the delivery risk and improve the value for money offered by the "Up2U/First Steps" scheme. I have now approved a revised deal between the HCA and London and Quadrant (L&Q). This deal will involve the properties that were to be covered by the "Up2U/First Steps" scheme being delivered through the Government's existing intermediate market products (including Rent to HomeBuy, Intermediate Rent and New Build HomeBuy).
	As a result of this deal, all of the properties that were to be covered by the "Up2U/First Steps" scheme will now be made available at completion as affordable housing and will not instead be sold outright. As such, the deal will not only unlock development by L&Q and support the construction industry—it will also offer a better deal for both first time buyers and taxpayers.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 746-7W, on mortgages: Government assistance, how many of the cases identified meeting the eligibility criteria for the Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme have received assistance.

Margaret Beckett: The Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme is expected to open in April with the first lenders. The scheme will help ensure hard working people who suffer a temporary loss of income can stay in their home. It enables households that experience a redundancy or significant loss of income to reduce their monthly payments to a more manageable level, by deferring a proportion of the interest payments on their mortgage for up to two years. Further detail, including the eligibility criteria is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/buyingselling/mortgagesupportscheme/

Departmental Absenteeism

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff of his Department were recorded absent for non-medical reasons on  (a) 2 February 2009 and  (b) 3 February 2009; what estimate he has made of the (i) cost to his Department and (ii) number of working hours lost as a result of such absence; and what guidance his Department issued to staff in respect of absence on those days.

Jonathan R Shaw: The number of staff absent due to non-medical reasons is not held centrally. This is because it includes annual leave, flexi leave and special leave. Therefore, to provide the data for 2 and 3 February in respect of our total staffing of over 100,000 would incur disproportionate cost.
	In addition to the policies governing absence and leave, specific HR advice was issued to cover absences on 2 and 3 February due to the adverse weather. Where employees attempted to come into work but were unable to do so because of the adverse weather and travel disruption, they were credited with the hours normally worked on these days. Overall the Department is grateful to the very many of its staff who made considerable efforts to get into work on the days in question.

Departmental Official Engagements

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the official engagements of each Minister in his Department were between 1 February 2009 to 28 February 2009.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 12 March 2009
	I am depositing a table of information in the Library.
	Accurate information on the length of time spent on each engagement could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 534-5W, on departmental staff surveys, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's most recent staff survey results and the analysis of the results.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 20 March 2009
	The most recent DWP Survey results (January 2008) are already available in the House of Commons Library. All previous DWP surveys can be viewed on the following site under the heading 'The Way We Work':
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/resourcecentre/corporate-publications.asp
	Over 1,200 reports are produced for all the teams participating in the survey. Therefore these could be collated and placed in the Library only at disproportionate cost.

Disability Living Allowance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the contribution of the Minister for Disabled People of 17 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 852-5, from what budget the funding for the extension of higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance will be drawn.

Jonathan R Shaw: The measure extending the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance to people who are severely visually impaired will not be introduced before April 2011. We are confident that by the date of its introduction the Department will have re-prioritised annually managed expenditure to ensure that funding is available.

Members: Correspondence

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Northavon of 28 April 2008, on behalf of Mr. Reg Morris, acknowledged with reference POS(3) 10854/0364.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 4 February 2009
	A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 17 March 2009.

Banks: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to his Department's press notice of 19 January 2009 on the Asset Protection Scheme, how performance against commitments to make loans to creditworthy institutions will be monitored; and what mechanisms will be used to report on such performance.

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 417W, on business: credit, when negotiations with participating banks began; whether the specific and quantified lending commitments will be  (a) published and  (b) regularly monitored and reported; what the remit of the lending panel is; when it first met; what data it is monitoring; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: On 19 January, the Government announced measures designed to reinforce the stability of the financial system, to increase confidence and capacity to lend, and in turn to support the recovery of the economy. Further information is available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_05_09.htm
	These build on measures announced on 8 October last year.
	The Government are negotiating quantified lending agreements with the banks participating in the Asset Protection Scheme and extended Credit Guarantee Scheme as announced in January this year. The Chancellor of the Exchequer set out in his statement to Parliament on 26 February that Royal Bank of Scotland has agreed lending agreements with the Government. The Financial Secretary to the Treasury set out in his statement to Parliament on 9 March that Lloyds Banking Group has agreed lending agreements with the Government.
	The Government will report to Parliament annually on the delivery of these agreements.
	As announced in the 2008 pre-Budge report, the Government have established a new lending panel, which will improve monitoring of lending to households and businesses. The remit of the panel is set out in the 2008 pre-Budget report.

Banks: Finance

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 100W, on banks, what the Government's principles on remuneration are, apart from the principle of no rewards for failure.

Ian Pearson: The Government have set out four basic principles to be applied to remuneration policies:
	Rewards for failure are not appropriate.
	Bonus payments should be based on long-term sustainable performance.
	Bonuses are not just about past performance but are designed to shape future performance and thus should be subject to appropriate claw back.
	The regulator is to take bank remuneration policy into account when supervising a bank.
	The Government are clear that going forward, remuneration policies must be based on long-term sustainable performance in the interests of shareholders, taking proper account of risk.

Departmental Meetings

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he attended on Wednesday 18 March 2009 between 1.30 pm and 4 pm; and who else was present at those meetings.

Angela Eagle: Treasury Ministers attend a wide range of meetings as part of carrying out their duties in line with the "Ministerial Code". As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Departmental Visits Abroad

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much expenditure was incurred in respect of the overseas visits  (a) he,  (b) other Treasury Ministers in his Department and  (c) officials of his Department undertook in 2008.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my hon. Friend, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Ian Pearson) gave to the hon. Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) on 12 March 2009,  Official Report, column 718W.

Members: Correspondence

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 322W, on hon. Members: correspondence, when he plans to respond to the letter from the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire of 21 November 2008 on the Derbyshire Building Society.

Ian Pearson: A reply has been sent to the right hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 322W, on hon. Members: correspondence, when the Financial Secretary plans to respond to the letter from the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire of November 2008 concerning Kaupthing Bank.

Ian Pearson: A reply has been sent to the right hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 322W, on hon. Members: correspondence, when the Economic Secretary plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire of 23 October 2008 on the Government's decision to implement a financial support package for the banking industry.

Ian Pearson: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 322W, on hon. Members: correspondence, when the Economic Secretary plans to respond to the letter from the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire of 23 October 2008 on the merger between the Derbyshire and Nationwide Building Societies.

Ian Pearson: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the email from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 4 December 2008, on red diesel fuel.

Angela Eagle: I have replied to the hon. Member.

Taxation: Pensioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 11 February 2004,  Official Report, columns 1489-90W, on pensions (taxation), if he will estimate the number of pensioners paying income tax at the  (a) higher and  (b) basic rate in each year since 2001-02; and what percentage of (i) all pensioner taxpayers and (ii) all pensioners these figures represent in each year.

Ian Pearson: The information requested is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Higher rate taxpayers 
			   Number of pensioners paying HR income tax (Thousand)  Proportion of all pensioner taxpayers (Percentage)  Proportion of all pensioners (Percentage) 
			 2001-02 210 4 2 
			 2002-03 220 4 2 
			 2003-04 230 5 2 
			 2003-04 290 6 3 
			 2004-05 300 6 3 
			 2005-06 330 6 3 
			 2006-07 370 6 3 
			 2007-08 210 4 2 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-h igher rate taxpayers 
			   Number of pensioners paying  non- HR income tax (Thousand)  Proportion of all pensioner taxpayers (Percentage)  Proportion of all pensioners (Percentage) 
			 2001-02 4,570 96 42 
			 2002-03 4,700 96 43 
			 2003-04 4,470 95 41 
			 2003-04 4,830 95 43 
			 2004-05 4,790 94 43 
			 2005-06 5,250 94 46 
			 2006-07 5,420 94 47 
			 2007-08 4,570 96 42 
			  Notes: 1. Figures up to 2006-07 are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes in that year. 2. Figures for 2007-08 are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes in 2006-07 projected forward one year in line with pre-Budget 2008 report. 3. Figures for the number of pensioners paying income tax have been rounded to the nearest 10,000. 4. Pensioners have been defined as men aged 65 and over and women aged 60 and over. 5. All pensioners figures are mid-year population estimates supplied by the Office for National Statistics.

Welfare Tax Credits: Death

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what procedure is followed by the Tax Credit Office in the recovery of tax credits paid in respect of claimants who have died;
	(2)  how much has been reclaimed from tax credits overpaid to deceased claimants in each year since tax credits were introduced; and what proportion of this sum was  (a) child tax credit and  (b) working tax credit;
	(3)  what the policy of the Tax Credit Office is on recovery of tax credits overpaid as a consequence of the death of a child included in the claim.

Stephen Timms: Tax Credit Office has a dedicated team to handle notifications of bereavement. Procedural guidance for HM Revenue and Customs processing staff can be found at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/ntcmanual/changes_cofc/ntc0170482.htm
	Guidance for Debt Management staff is published at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/dmbmanual/DMBM555000.htm
	For information about HMRCs approach to recovering tax credits overpayments when a customer has died, I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor (Jane Kennedy) gave the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) on 6 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1501W.
	For information about the amount of overpaid tax credits, attributable to deceased claimants, I refer the hon. Member to the answers my predecessor (Jane Kennedy) gave the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) on 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 244W and on 10 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1786W. Information for 2007-08 will be available in May 2009.
	In order to allow bereaved families more time to notify the Department, HMRC pay child tax credit for up to eight weeks following the death of a child.

Children: Databases

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many local authorities did not meet the shielding policies deadline for ContactPoint of 13 March 2009.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 19 March 2009
	We continue to take a prudent and incremental approach to delivering ContactPoint. Local authorities have been doing preparatory work around shielding for several months, which included assessing how much time would be required to undertake initial shielding activity. We asked local authorities to provide a progress update by 13 March including whether they have robust arrangements in place to deal with shielding requests on an ongoing basis.
	Two-thirds of local authorities have reported, as part of this progress update, that they have undertaken the required shielding actions. We continue to work closely with local authorities in order to help them to complete this first phase as soon as possible.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  when he plans to revise Working Together to Safeguard Children;
	(2)  when he expects revisions to the framework for serious case reviews to have been made;
	(3)  what steps he plans to take together with the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Justice to establish explicit strategic priorities for the protection of children and young people;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing Lord Laming's recommendations on safeguarding children;
	(5)  with reference to page 65 of The Protection of Children in England: a progress report, HC330, what changes he plans to make to existing practice to ensure that serious case reviews focus on the effective learning of lessons and implementation of recommendations and the timely introduction of changes to protect children;
	(6)  with reference to page 16 of The Protection of Children in England: a progress report, HC330, what new statutory targets for safeguarding and child protection he plans to introduce.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 19 March 2009
	The Government have accepted all the recommendations made by Lord Laming in his recent report, "The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report". These include recommendations relating to the revision of statutory guidance in "Working Together to Safeguard Children", strengthening the framework for serious case reviews, setting strategic priorities by Government for the protection of children and young people, and establishing new statutory targets for safeguarding and child protection. As confirmed in the Government's immediate response to Lord Laming on 12 March, the Government will publish a detailed action plan in response to all his recommendations by the end of April.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 549-50W, on departmental staff surveys, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's most recent staff survey results and the subsequent analysis.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Staff Survey results for the Department and other government departments are published on the Cabinet Office website
	(http://beta.civilservice.gov.uk/about/who/statistics/staff-surveys.aspx).
	I have arranged for copies from that website to be placed in the Library of the House.

Teenage Pregnancy

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many girls under 16 years old became pregnant in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many women under 16 years became pregnant in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley district and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years. (264415)
	Available figures are estimates of the number of conceptions that resulted in a live birth and/or stillbirth (a maternity) or a legal termination.
	Numbers of conceptions to women aged under 16 in England, the North East Government Office Region (GOR) and the Tees Valley district, for the years 1998- 2007 (the most recent year for which figures are available), are shown in the attached table. Figures for 2007 are provisional.
	Information on conceptions is not routinely published for parliamentary constituencies. Hence figures cannot be provided for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency because of the risk of disclosing individual's information, due to small differences between the parliamentary constituency and local authority boundaries. Figures are instead provided for Middlesbrough UA and Redcar and Cleveland UA for 1998-2007, in the attached table.
	
		
			  Number of conceptions to women aged under 16 by selected area of usual residence, 1998 to 2007. 
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 England 7,855 7,408 7,620 7,407 7,395 7,558 7,181 7,473 7,330 7,715 
			 North East GOR 570 499 522 460 460 498 481 481 475 531 
			 Tees Valley District 178 159 150 124 136 165 169 140 148 164 
			 Middlesbrough UA 56 49 39 25 36 47 36 32 33 35 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA 41 38 37 32 28 28 54 27 23 31 
			  Note:  Figures for 2007 are provisional.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to answer Question  (a) 243012,  (b) 243014,  (c) 243015,  (d) 243049,  (e) 243051 and  (f) 243053 on diabetes and schoolchildren, tabled on 9 December 2008; and what the reasons are for the time taken to answer.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: PQs 243012, 243014, 243015, 243049, 243051 and 243053 on diabetes and schoolchildren have been answered on 20 March. The reason for the delay was due to an administrative error.

Drugs: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1279W, on drugs: crime, for what reasons the police do not record possession offences by drug type for drugs other than cannabis.

Jacqui Smith: Offence categorisations as used in police recorded crime have always been broader than those used in court proceedings and the detailed returns on cautioning. From 1 April 2004, it was agreed that recorded offences of cannabis possession be separated from other drug possession offences to better monitor the use of police powers to issue cannabis warnings. It has not been considered necessary to record more detailed breakdowns on other drug possession offences as overall detection rates for these offences are high.
	Information on court proceedings and cautioning give a good picture of the extent of other drug possession offences that come to the attention of the police by type of drug.

Illegal Immigrants

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2009,  Official Report, column 818W, on illegal immigrants, what research has been  (a) commissioned and  (b) carried out by her Department on the likely number of illegal immigrants in the UK since the publication in 2001 of Home Office Online Report 29/05, Sizing the unauthorised (illegal) migrant population in the United Kingdom.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 10 March 2009
	 The Home Office has not commissioned or carried out any further research on the likely number of illegal immigrants in the UK since the Home Office Online Report 29/05, "Sizing the unauthorised (illegal) migrant population in the United Kingdom in 2001" was published in 2005.
	We are determined to bear down on illegal immigration both on and after entry to the UK and as part of the Government's 10-point plan for delivery by 2010 over 95 per cent. of non-EEA foreign nationals will be counted in and out of the country. This is part of a sweeping programme of border protection which also includes the global roll-out of fingerprint visas, watch-list checks for all travellers before they arrive or depart from the UK and ID cards for foreign nationals.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to reply to the letter dated 21 January 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on the All Party Dance Group.

Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 16 March 2009.

Standing Advisory Committees

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 185-6W, on standing advisory committees, how many current members of her Department's science advisory committee have taken part in projects in the capacity of key researcher.

Jacqui Smith: The Home Office do not centrally hold information about all the personnel involved in research projects it commissions.

Cost of Living

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department is taking to protect consumers from the effects of rises in the price of consumer commodities during the current economic situation.

Gareth Thomas: The Government take the view that its role is to facilitate competition by promoting open and competitive markets, enforced by strong and independent competition authorities, and empowered consumers, rather than to control directly the price setting behaviour of the firms.
	Hence, apart from a limited number of exceptions, no price controls operate in the UK and no restrictions are placed on the prices which business may charge consumers. Retailers are free to set their own prices, but they are required to display them in an unambiguous, easily identifiable way in order to enable consumers to compare prices in different outlets and so obtain the best value for money.
	Regulation may be necessary where competition is not working effectively or is not fully developed. Under UK competition law it is the responsibility of the Office of Fair Trading to investigate allegations of anti-competitive behaviour and possible abuses of market power.

Apprentices

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what consideration he is giving to reviewing the period of time available to a college to find a new placement for an apprentice who loses the job to which the apprenticeship is related.

Si�n Simon: When an apprentice is made redundant, the first option that training providers and the National Apprenticeship Service will explore is finding immediate alternative employment. We recognise that current economic climate can make it even more challenging to find a new employer place. We have agreed new flexibilities to allow apprentices who cannot find immediate alternative employment to move into full-time further education for up to six months while maintaining their existing apprenticeship framework and maintaining their status as an apprentice. The Learning and Skills Council have advised providers of this new flexibility which allows redundant apprentices to maintain their framework for an extended period while they and their provider seek a new employer.

Departmental Recruitment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2009,  Official Report, column 2097W, on departmental recruitment, what estimate he has made of the annual salary cost of  (a) permanent,  (b) temporary and  (c) agency staff recruited by his Department in each year since 2005-06.

Si�n Simon: The Department was created on 28 June 2007. Since it was established, the estimated annual salary cost of new recruits and agency costs are as follows:
	
		
			   
			   Total new recruits (permanent and temporary)  Agency 
			 2007-08(1) 1,074,421 124,296 
			 2008-09 1,365,124 137,402 
			 (1 )From 28 June 2007.

Education

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of 18 to 24 year-olds in  (a) Bexley,  (b) London and  (c) England were in full-time education in each year since 1997.

Si�n Simon: Table 1 shows the number of 18 to 24 year-old Further Education learners in Bexley local authority, London region and England from 2003-04 to 2007-08 by mode of delivery.
	
		
			  Table : Number of 18 to  24 year -  old Further Education learners, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Area  Mode of  d elivery  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Bexley local authority Full-time Full-year 610 650 690 740 760 
			  Full-time Part-year 200 100 100 100 100 
			  Total 800 800 800 800 800 
			
			 London region Full-time Full-year 33,000 34,800 35,600 37,300 38,600 
			  Full-time Part-year 8,300 7,900 6,900 5,900 5,300 
			  Total 41,300 42,700 42,400 43,100 43,800 
			
			 England Full-time Full-year 161,200 166,800 170,300 186,700 193,100 
			  Full-time Part-year 47,100 43,000 35,700 30,500 30,100 
			  Total 208,300 209,800 206,000 217,200 223,300 
			
			 Other Full-time Full-year 2,800 2,600 2,400 2,600 2,800 
			  Full-time Part-year 1,700 1,900 1,400 1,100 1,000 
			  Total 4,400 4,500 3,700 3,700 3,800 
			
			 Total (England and other) Full-time Full-year 164,000 169,400 172,700 189,300 195,900 
			  Full-time Part-year 48,800 44,900 37,000 31,600 31,200 
			  Total 212,700 214,300 209,700 220,900 227,100 
			  Source:  Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the number of 18 to 24 year-old Work Based Learning and Train to Gain starts in Bexley local authority, London region and England from 2003-04 to 2007-08.
	
		
			  Table 2:  Number of 18 to  24 year - old Work Based Learning and Train to Gain starts, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Area  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Bexley Local Authority 300 320 300 370 550 
			 London region 19,700 18,300 17,900 35,000 65,100 
			 England 124,700 102,100 102,800 127,100 160,600 
			 Other 2,600 1,900 1,600 2,400 3,800 
			 Total (England and Other) 127,300 104,000 104,300 129,500 164,400 
			  Notes: 1. Bexley local authority numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, all other numbers are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Learner numbers are shown for provision funded through the FE budget. 3. Number of starts include Work Based Learning and Train to Gain data. 4. Train to Gain was launched in April 2006, so comparable data does not exist for 2003-04 and 2004-05. 5. The field for delivery mode is not mandatory in the Individualised Learner Record collection for Work Based Learning and Train to Gain. Therefore we have provided starts information for contextual purposes. 6. This table uses programme starts as a measure for comparative purposes. Full-year numbers are a count of the number of starts at any point during the year Learners starting more than one course will appear more than once. 7. Area is based upon the home postcode of the learner. Where the postcode is outside of England, learners are included in the 'Other' category. Where postcode is not known this is also included in the 'Other' category.  Source:  WBL and TtG Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Table 3 shows the number of 18 to 24 year-old Higher Education enrolments in Bexley local authority, London region, and England from 1997-98 to 2007-08.
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of 18 to 24 year-old Higher Education enrolments, 1997-98 to 2007-08 
			  Area  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Bexley LA 2,115 2,265 2,215 2,395 2,450 2,655 2,825 2,920 3,035 3,165 3,365 
			 London 93,925 100,370 102,345 107,600 113,710 119,925 123,740 128,330 132,905 138,110 142,240 
			 England 596,530 613,805 623,120 635,105 657,685 683,355 698,870 708,825 731,195 741,265 758,760 
			 Other 135,925 137,260 137,660 140,490 143,390 154,770 165,305 171,895 176,575 182,130 190,135 
			 Total (England and Other) 732,455 751,065 760,780 775,595 801,075 838,130 864,175 880,720 907,765 923,390 948,900 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are on a snapshot basis as at the 1 December and have been rounded to the nearest five. 2. Local Authority, and Government Office Region is defined by full and valid postcodes only. 3. London figures for the 1997-98 academic year refer to Greater London. 4. Students in the 'England' category are defined as domiciled in England. 5. Students in the 'Other' category are defined as studying at English Higher Education Institutions but domiciled outside of England.  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Unemployed: North East

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what percentage of each age group were not in education, employment and training in each local education authority area in the North East region in each of the last five years; and what variation from the average for all English regions each represents.

Si�n Simon: The tables show the number and percentages of 16 to 18, 19 to 39 and 40 to 59-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) for local authorities in the North East. Figures for 16 to 18-year-olds are from the Client Caseload Information System (CCIS) maintained by Connexions services. Local authority level information is only available from 2006 onwards. NEET figures for 2008 are due to be made available on 26 March.
	Details for 19 to 39 and 40 to 59-year-olds are from the Annual Population Survey. These wide age ranges are required to give larger sample sizes for each local authority, giving more robust estimates.
	
		
			  16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training 
			   NEET 
			   N umber( 1,)( )( 2)  Percentage 
			   2006  2007  2006  2007 
			 County Durham 2,060 1,670 12.9 10.4 
			 Northumberland 980 790 10.0 8.1 
			 Darlington 330 370 6.7 7.5 
			 Stockton on Tees 610 590 9.9 9.5 
			 Middlesbrough 870 690 13.7 11.1 
			 Hartlepool 400 300 11.1 8.5 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 610 600 11.9 12.1 
			 Sunderland 1,320 1,260 13.3 12.8 
			 Gateshead 750 640 12.3 10.4 
			 Newcastle 1,120 1,140 9.4 9.3 
			 North Tyneside 700 530 11.4 8.8 
			 South Tyneside 550 510 11.3 10.6 
			 North East 10,300 9,120 11.3 10.0 
			 England 126,150 109,300 7.7 6.7 
			 (1) 16 to 18-year-olds known to be undertaking a gap year, or in custody, are not recorded by Connexions as NEET. (2) The percentage and number NEET has been adjusted to assume that a proportion of young people whose current activity is not known are NEET.  Source: Client Caseload Information System (CCIS) 
		
	
	
		
			  19 to 39-year- olds not in education, employment or training 
			   NEET 
			   Number  Percentage 
			  19-39  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Gateshead 8,000 9,000 10,000 11,000 10,000 15 17 20 22 20 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 13,000 15,000 15,000 16,000 12,000 16 17 17 17 14 
			 North Tyneside 7,000 8,000 7,000 7,000 8,000 15 14 14 14 15 
			 South Tyneside 9,000 9,000 9,000 9,000 7,000 21 23 22 24 20 
			 Sunderland 16,000 13,000 14,000 11,000 14,000 22 19 19 15 19 
			 Hartlepool 7,000 6,000 5,000 6,000 5,000 25 26 22 23 22 
			 Middlesbrough 10,000 9,000 7,000 7,000 8,000 25 24 19 20 21 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 8,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 7,000 23 18 19 19 21 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 11,000 10,000 11,000 9,000 9,000 22 21 21 17 17 
			 Durham 30,000 25,000 31,000 24,000 18,000 25 19 24 19 14 
			 Darlington 4,000 3,000 4,000 4,000 5,000 13 13 15 15 19 
			 Northumberland 10,000 12,000 11,000 12,000 11,000 14 17 15 17 17 
			 North East 134,000 125,000 130,000 122,000 115,000 20 19 19 18 17 
			 England 2,245,000 2,217,000 2,265,000 2,271,000 2,245,000 16 16 16 16 16 
			  Note: Academic age 19 was used as a lower bound, which is the respondent's age at the preceding 31 August.  Source: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  40 to 59-year- olds not in education, employment or training 
			   NEET 
			   Number  Percentage 
			  40-59  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Gateshead 13,000 13,000 13,000 13,000 13,000 26 27 25 25 24 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 18,000 18,000 16,000 16,000 17,000 27 28 25 26 26 
			 North Tyneside 12,000 12,000 13,000 13,000 12,000 24 23 23 23 21 
			 South Tyneside 11,000 11,000 11,000 12,000 10,000 30 28 26 28 24 
			 Sunderland 24,000 24,000 22,000 24,000 20,000 30 29 27 29 25 
			 Hartlepool 7,000 7,000 8,000 7,000 7,000 31 30 30 29 28 
			 Middlesbrough 10,000 10,000 11,000 10,000 10,000 28 28 30 28 25 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 12,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 9,000 30 26 25 26 24 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 12,000 11,000 9,000 10,000 12,000 24 22 18 19 23 
			 Durham 40,000 38,000 34,000 33,000 35,000 29 27 24 23 24 
			 Darlington 6,000 5,000 6,000 5,000 5,000 24 20 22 18 18 
			 Northumberland 19,000 20,000 19,000 21,000 16,000 21 21 20 22 17 
			 North East 186,000 180,000 171,000 175,000 164,000 27 26 24 25 23 
			 England 2,627,000 2,617,000 2,557,000 2,612,000 2,591,000 20 20 19 19 19 
			  Source: Annual Population Survey

Departmental Buildings

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what properties  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) NHS trusts have sold in each of the last five years; and how many have been sold for housing developments.

Ben Bradshaw: Details of the larger properties sold by the Department in each of the last five years is provided in the following table. While it will be up to the purchaser to decide on the future use of the properties, information is provided where it is considered the properties may be developed for housing. No properties were sold by the Department's agencies during this period. Information is not held centrally in respect of properties sold by national health service trusts.
	
		
			  Property Sold  Possible development for housing 
			  2004-05  
			 18 Brydon Road, Redditch  
			 21/23 Coulter Lane, Burntwood  
			 7 Wells Lane Terrace, Cheddleton  
			 Land at Mickledale Lane, Bilsthorpe  
			 317 Mansfield Road, Nottingham  
			 Watling Street Clinic, Bishop Auckland  
			 Land at Burnhill Way, Newton Aycliffe Yes 
			 Land at Newton Aycliffe Hospital Yes 
			 Gables and land Winterton, Sedgefield  
			 7 Springfield Street, Warrington  
			 113 Coldharbour Road, Sherbourne  
			 Holsworthy Ambulance Station and Health Centre  
			 Part Western Hospital, Crediton  
			 Land at Hanham Hall, Hanham  
			 Land at Lord Mayor Treloar, Alton  
			 10 Gunn Street, Reading  
			 Land at Langney, Eastbourne  
			 Land at St Ebba's, Epsom  
			 St Ebba's Cottage, Epsom  
			 Land at Joyce Green, Dartford  
			 Warley Lodge, Warley  
			   
			  2005-06  
			 Land at Princess Royal, Telford  
			 St. Margarets, Walsall Yes 
			 St. Crispin's Social Club, Northampton  
			 Land at Towers Hospital, Leicester Yes 
			 1/3 Nightingale Close, Mulbarton  
			 High Royd's, Menston Yes 
			 Killingbeck, Leeds Yes 
			 Land at Neville Drive, Sedgefield Yes 
			 30 Windermere Gardens, Gateshead  
			 St. Oswald's Hospice, Newcastle  
			 New Lodge, Whittingham  
			 Middleton Hospital, Ilkley Yes 
			 10 Mayroyd Avenue, Tolworth  
			 47 Gainsborough Road, Epsom  
			 Conolly House, Napsbury Yes 
			 Colvend, Napsbury  
			 121 Cranleigh Mead, Cranleigh  
			 19 Netherne Lane, Coulsdon  
			 24 Park Road, Maidstone  
			 40 Park Road, Maidstone  
			 46 Park Road, Maidstone  
			 2 Brambletye Park Road, Redhill  
			 Land at Joyce Green, Dartford  
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Banstead  
			 Silverlands, Chertsey  
			 Bungalow, Woodplace Lane, Coulsdon  
			 Glenside, Bristol  
			 Part Severalls Hospital Site, Colchester Yes 
			 Turner Village, Colchester Yes 
			 Land at St. Mary's Axminster Yes 
			 Cashes Green Hospital, Stroud Yes 
			 St. Leonards, Ringwood Yes 
			 Tiverton District Hospital, Tiverton Yes 
			 Belmont Hospital, Tiverton Yes 
			 Cottages 1 to 5, Herrison  
			 Lower Farm Buildings, Herrison  
			 Sewer Field, Herrison Hanham Hall, Bristol Yes 
			 Part Countess of Chester, Chester Yes 
			 Whittingham, Preston Yes 
			 Winwick Farm, Warrington Yes 
			 Winwick Social Club, Warrington  
			 Land at Lancaster Moor, Lancaster Yes 
			 Homelands Hospital, Crook Yes 
			 Killingworth Stores, Killingworth  
			 Maiden Law Hospital, Durham Yes 
			 Part St. Georges Hospital, Morpeth Yes 
			 Land at Aycliffe Hospital, Newton Aycliffe Yes 
			 Birney Hill Farm, Ponteland  
			 Stannington Children's Hospital, Stannington Yes 
			 Ashington General Hospital, Ashington Yes 
			 Part Shotley Bridge Hospital, Consett Yes 
			 Tindale Crescent, Bishop Auckland Yes 
			 Hull Maternity Hospital, Hull Yes 
			 Land at Seacroft Hospital, Leeds Yes 
			 Part Wharfdale Hospital, Otley Yes 
			 Land at Springfield, Grimsby Yes 
			 Scartho Hall, Grimsby  
			 Scartho Hall - site opposite, Grimsby  
			 Land at Norton Aerodrome, Sheffield  
			 Lord Mayor Treloar, Alton Yes 
			 Park Prewett, Basingstoke Yes 
			 St Augustines, Chartham Yes 
			 Mabledon, Dartford Yes 
			 Alpha House, Droxford  
			 Part St Ebbas, Epsom Yes 
			 Horton Farm, Epsom  
			 Retail Centre site, Horton, Epsom Yes 
			 Part West Park Hospital, Epsom Yes 
			 Part Coldeast Hospital, Fareham Yes 
			 Part Knowle Hospital, Wickham  
			 Land at St. Francis Hospital, Haywards Heath Yes 
			 Leyboume Grange, Maidstone Yes 
			 Linton Hospital, Maidstone Yes 
			 Part Milford Hospital, Milford Yes 
			 Land at Royal Earlswood, Redhill  
			 Land at Hill House, Rye Yes 
			 Sheppey Hospital, Sheppey Yes 
			 Part Southlands Hospital, Shoreham Yes 
			 Hazel Farm, Southampton Yes 
			 Land at St Johns Hospital, Stone Yes 
			 Part Tatchbury Hospital, Calmore Yes 
			 Fair Mile Hospital, Cholsey Yes 
			 Land at Celsea Place, Cholsey  
			 Renny Lodge, Newport Pagnell Yes 
			 Stretton Hall Farmland, Oadby Yes 
			 Ashover House, Lincoln  
			 Carey House, Skegness  
			 Derby City Chest Clinic, Derby  
			 Barnsley Hall Land, Bromsgrove Yes 
			 Land at the Limes, Himley Yes 
			 Part Lea Castle Hospital, Kidderminster Yes 
			 Ledbury Cottage Hospital, Ledbury Yes 
			 Smallwood, Redditch  
			 Royal Shrewsbury  South Yes 
			 Land at Chemsley, Solihull Yes 
			 Land at Middlefield, Knowle Yes 
			 Land at Bucknall, Bucknall Yes 
			   
			  2006-07  
			 11 Edith Road, London  
			 Bridge Wharf, London  
			 48 Park Road, Maidstone  
			 31 Pathfields, Shere  
			 40 Princes Road, Redhill  
			 42 Princes Road, Redhill  
			 9 Princes Road, Redhill  
			 Orchard Field, Virginia Water  
			 42 Redan Road, Aldershot  
			 44 Redan Road, Aldershot  
			 Hollywood Lodge, Epsom  
			 Eastwood Park, Falfield  
			 9 Highbury Villas, Bristol  
			 Oakleigh, Plymouth  
			 Okehampton Castle Hospital, Okehampton  
			 57 Park Road, Loughborough  
			 Land at Sedgefield  
			 Fieldside, Workington  
			 Land at St. Catherine's, Doncaster Yes 
			 Compton Hospice, Wolverhampton  
			 Broseley Hospital, Broseley  
			 Wellington Cottage Hospital, Telford  
			 Stone House Hospital, Dartford Yes 
			 St. Margarets Hospital, Epping Yes 
			 Runwell Hospital, Wickford Yes 
			 Part Prudhoe Hospital, Prudhoe Yes 
			 Part Manor Kingsway Hospital, Derby Yes 
			 Cane Hill Hospital, Coulsdon Yes 
			 Part Grimsby General Hospital, Grimsby Yes 
			 St. Clements Social Club, Ipswich  
			 Graylingwell Hospital, Chichester Yes 
			 The Beeches Hospital, Telford Yes 
			   
			  2007-08  
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hackney Yes 
			 337-339 Hackney Road, Hackney  
			 18 Paddington Green, London  
			 Eastry Hospital, Eastry Yes 
			 35 Higher Kingston, Yeovil  
			 10 Woodside, Plymouth  
			 St. Mary's Hospital, Stannington Yes 
			 103 Oakwood Drive, Ulverston  
			 Sedgefield Hospital, Sedgefield  
			 Agricultural land, Winterton  
			 Willowburn, Maiden Law Hospital, Lanchester Yes 
			 112 Northbourne Road, Jarrow  
			 140 Hedworth Lane, Jarrow  
			 27 Willow Grange, Jarrow  
			 Land at South Elmsall, Wakefield Yes 
			 18 Battlefield Lane, Holbeach  
			 Holbeach Hospital, Holbeach  
			 Land at Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey  
			 Cherry Knowle Hospital, Sunderland Yes 
			 Part Towers Hospital, Leicester Yes 
			   
			  2008-09  
			 10 Houses in Surrey  
			 30 Paul Road, Bodmin  
			 Land at Cronehills, West Bromwich  
			 Laverneo, Grindon  
			 Horton House, Epsom Yes

Departmental Lost Property

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2009,  Official Report, column 702W, on departmental lost property, what the eight miscellaneous items of equipment detailed as lost or stolen from his Department were.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 20 March 2009
	The eight items of departmental property reported as lost or stolen that were categorised as miscellaneous to the answer of 13 March were:
	
		
			  Description  Number 
			 Mobile connection 3G card 1 
			 Portable digital dictation machine 1 
			 USB memory sticks 2 
			 Laptop docking station 1 
			 RSA secure ID token for remote authentication 2 
			 LCD monitor 1 
		
	
	The approximate replacement value is 700.

Gosport War Memorial Hospital

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the report prepared by Professor Richard Baker on events at Gosport War Memorial Hospital.

Ann Keen: The report from Professor Baker is not yet in the public domain, and we have to balance the legitimate public interest in openness, against the rights of individuals named within the report, in respect of personal details relating to them. We consider that there is a legitimate public interest in protecting their rights, at the present time, for those facts not to be disclosedor at least for them to have a full opportunity to read the report and make their own comments upon it. Performing that assessment and taking all the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Act issues into account, we have concluded that on balance we should not yet issue it.
	However, recognising the public interest in this whole issue, we do intend, once the inquests are concluded, and the General Medical Council have decided what their action will be, and subject to the appropriate individuals identified in the report to have had a chance to comment, to publish the Baker report, should publication still be relevantthat is to say, it may in the meantime become public knowledge from another official source, such as the proceedings of an inquest.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of personal antimicrobial products used  (a) before entry to hospital for elective patients and  (b) during hospital stays in combating health care-acquired infections; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Department has not undertaken any work on the efficacy of personal antimicrobial products before entry to hospital for elective patients or during stays in hospital and is not aware of any evidence that these products offer advantages over materials supplied to patients by the national health service.
	Our strategy 'Clean Safe Care' draws together the measures required to control infections. Generally, normal soap and toiletries are adequate for patients' personal hygiene during their hospital stay, and hospitals will provide special soap and shampoo to prevent bacterial infections as necessary. The decision to provide patients with antimicrobial soap and shampoo is based on local infection prevention and control policies.

NHS: Finance

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital project funding is available to  (a) primary care and  (b) acute trusts for (i) substantial and (ii) large capital investment projects.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 20 March 2009
	Both public capital and private finance through the private finance initiative (PFI) and NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) (for acute trusts and the primary care estate respectively) is available for both small and large scale capital investment projects.
	Information on the amounts of public capital resources so far allocated to strategic health authorities (SHAs), NHS trusts and primary care trusts in 2008-09 has been placed in the Library.
	The allocations data provided shows the total capital resources allocated up to the end of Quarter 3 (December 2008). Allocations include capital funding for locally prioritised capital expenditure and programme capital for centrally announced initiatives and reflect adjustments for capital grants to third parties.
	Some organisations are showing a negative capital allocation. Negative allocations can arise where there are planned asset disposals and the selling organisation does not plan to reinvest the total value of the disposal in capital assets in the selling organisation's books in the year of disposal.
	From resources of 5.6 billion and 4.8 billion of public capital for the NHS announced in the pre-Budget report (November 2008) for 2009-10 and 2010-11 respectively, allocations for these years are currently being set as part of NHS trusts' and PCTs' financial plans.
	Private Finance in the form of senior debt and shareholder capital (equity) under the PFI and NHS LIFT initiatives is raised by private sector project companies which win contracts for schemes put out to tender by the procuring authority (i.e. an NHS Trust or PCT).

NHS: ICT

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost has been of new computer systems ordered for use in the National Health Service since 2007; which NHS computer contracts have been cancelled after the order was placed over that period; and what effect the installed new computer systems are expected to have on the NHS's expenditure.

Ben Bradshaw: Comprehensive information is not available centrally in the form requested.
	Local information technology (IT) expenditure reported by the national health service in the 2007-08 financial yearthe latest period for which information is availableamounted to 1,852 millions. This figure comprises revenue expenditure (1,517 million, including capital charges of 258 million) reported through an annual national survey of IT investment, and capital expenditure (335 million), identified in NHS accounts and reported by foundation trusts. It does not include expenditure by special health authorities or central expenditure funded by the Department. The information collected does not differentiate between different elements of IT expenditure, for example on hardware or software-related costs, nor include details of the local contractual arrangements.
	Contracts covering the core systems and service being provided centrally under the national programme for information technology were entered into during 2003 and 2004. The contract with Fujitsu, the then local service provider for the national programme in the south of England, was terminated in May 2008 because of the company's failure to meet key contractual milestones and to provide an acceptable remediation plan.
	Information about the local financial and resource impact due to the implementation of computer systems are held locally by the NHS organisations involved. However, while the purpose of the new systems being deployed through the national programme is to improve patient services by delivering better, safer care to patients more efficiently, they will in fact also save money by relieving doctors and other staff of unnecessary and time-consuming administrative burdens.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been claimed in reimbursable expenses by special advisers in his Department since its inception.

Mike O'Brien: Costs incurred on reimbursable expenses in 2008-09, will be available only when the Department's resource accounts are fully audited and laid before Parliament. This is expected to be before the 2009 summer recess.

Departmental Performance Appraisal

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many members of staff in his Department are subject to a performance-based bonus system.

Mike O'Brien: DECC was created on 3 October 2008 when staff were transferred from BERR and DEFRA. Work is currently being undertaken to design the DECC pay systems. These will need to be approved by HMT and negotiated with the trade unions for implementation later in the year. In line with civil service pay policy, the DECC pay arrangements will include a performance based bonus scheme which will cover all staff but no decisions have been taken so far on the proportion of staff in any year who will actually receive a bonus.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to reply to the letter to him dated 15 January 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. R. Allan.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied to my right hon. Friend on 17 March 2009.

Immigration: Appeals

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many immigration appeals were  (a) received from and  (b) granted in relation to people from (i) India, (ii) Pakistan and (iii) Nigeria in each of the last six years.

Bridget Prentice: The number of immigration appeals received and granted in relation to appeals from people from India, Pakistan and Nigeria in the last six years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Appeal receipts  Appeals allowed 
			   India  Nigeria  Pakistan  India  Nigeria  Pakistan 
			 2003-04 2,581 2,334 1,392 111 491 622 
			 2004-05 4,288 1,976 4,646 1,622 759 1,308 
			 2005-06 10,791 10,296 17,351 2,220 764 3,366 
			 2006-07 9,762 11,019 13,547 3,862 3,904 5,468 
			 2007-08 13,926 10,240 19,270 4,201 3,175 5,793 
			 2008-09 (April to December 2008)(1) 12,779 7,289 13,634 4,029 2,180 5,682 
			 (1) Data is provisional and subject to reconciliation.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much time was spent by the Yorkshire and Humber Offender Management Service interviewing and informing offenders that discriminatory behaviour is unacceptable in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2008 and  (d) 2009.

David Hanson: Tackling prejudice and discrimination is one of the aims of offender management and it is standard practice for offenders to be advised about the implications of discriminatory behaviour during the induction process: The information requested is not available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, in the four probation areas that make up the Yorkshire and Humberside region of the National Offender Management Service, 16,715 offenders started community or suspended sentence orders during 2006 and 18,079 during 2007. Each offender will have gone through an induction process. Section 2c.7 of the National Standards for the Management of Offenders requires probation areas to induct offenders into the sentence at the start of a community order.
	Similarly induction procedures into prison establishments require prisons to emphasise the prison policy on the Race Relations Act and establish standards of behaviour. There were 125,881 first receptions into prison establishments in 2007 and 128,986 in 2006. The data are not broken down by region.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much time was spent by the Yorkshire and Humber Offender Management Service on the delivery of restrictive interventions to offenders in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2008 and  (d) 2009.

David Hanson: For the purposes of this reply, we are taking restrictive interventions to mean the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements, Approved Premises, Home Detention Curfew and certain licence conditions.
	It is not possible, on the basis of information held by the Yorkshire and Humberside region or by each probation area within that region, to disaggregate and isolate from general probation activity the amount of time spent on the delivery of each of those restrictive interventions to offenders. To require this information to be collected this information would incur disproportionate cost.
	Restrictive interventions are used to manage the risk of harm which offenders in the community present and so protect the public.

Open Prisons: Prisoner Escapes

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many inmates  (a) escaped and  (b) absconded from each open prison in each year since 1997.

David Hanson: Absconds have fallen to less than half the levels they were 10 years ago while there have been no prison escapes so far this financial year compared to 10 to 20 escapes per year a decade ago. Escapes occur when prisoners unlawfully absent themselves from custody by overcoming a physical barrier or restraint. Absconds occur from open prisons when prisoners absent themselves without needing to overcome a physical barrier or restraint. Prisoners can escape from an open prison if they are being held temporarily in secure conditions within the open prison such as in segregation.
	The following table shows the number of prisoners who have absconded from each open prison since 1997. In addition to the figures shown in this table, one prisoner escaped from HMP Thorn Cross in 1999.
	
		
			   1997-08  1998-09  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Askham Grange 35 17 20 21 19 12 31 12 14 7 11 
			 Blantyre House 11 1  1 1   
			 Drake Hall 122 134 94 39 33  1 
			 East Sutton Park 5 3 3 3 3  1 2 4 2  
			 Ford 53 40 68 57 57 91 142 110 96 62 47 
			 Grendon/Springhill 20 9 14 14 12 23 60 36 34 11 21 
			 Hatfield 77 80 36 34 50 56  
			 Hewell Grange 40 17 32 20 15 23 31 24 24 13 15 
			 Hollesley Bay 13 25 11 24 8 14 36 32 16 21 19 
			 Kirkham 234 202 171 169 163 208 213 120 74 54 65 
			 Kirklevington  21  4 2   
			 Latchmere House 2   1 2 1  
			 Leyhill 20 25 34 25 19 33 114 102 66 37 55 
			 Moorland 1 1 68 73 49 41 23 
			 Morton Hall 20 15 23 6  1  
			 North Sea Camp 25 32 27 24 36 34 79 33 49 48 46 
			 Norwich (resettlement unit) 21   8 2 2 1 
			 Standford Hill 35 36 43 29 37 83 89 39 58 38 44 
			 Sudbury 81 75 63 69 81 68 75 77 76 78 55 
			 Thorn Cross 168 135 147 110 135 152 130 90 105 82 68 
			 Usk/Prescoed 7 13 19 14 5 8 35 19 9 9 8 
			 Wealstun 48 70 72 105 79 101 144 74 28 46 32 
			  Notes: 1. Colchester closed during 1998 2. Drake Hall changed role to Semi Open in 2001-02 from Open 3. Hatfield merged with Moorland in 2003-04 4. Kirklevington changed role to Semi Open in 2001-02 from Category C 5. Latchmere House changed role to Semi Open in 2001-02 from Open 6. Morton Hall changed role to Semi Open in 2001 -02 from Open 7. NorwichOpen Resettlement Unit 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
	Figures on absconds and a range of other prison performance statistics are available at:
	http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/abouttheservice/prisonperformance/performancestatistics/